My Best Friend, My True Love
by ivy-tsuta
Summary: He was really gone, her best friend. It was going to be so different. Character death. OneShot. If you want, you can take it as NaruIno or just friendship. Very cute! Set before Sasuke left, in the flashbacks.


This just suddenly came to me, and I think I love it. It is so cute. Adorable. I know I should be updating Inaki but I couldn't help it. Anyway, that next chapter is almost done. I don't take this as just friendship but you can if you want to. NaruIno forever! Woo! Purple and Orange!!!!

I dedicate this to **xXxRevengeISAbeasTxXx** who I promised to extend a different one of my stories, but I just can't do it... I tried, oh I tried. But I hope they understand. This one goes out to you!

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_She was going to miss him more than anything in the world. It was just last week that he was found. Sasuke had killed him. After all the work he put into trying to get him back. All the years, all the training, the sweat, and blood, and tears; it was for nothing. And now he was... gone. Wiped off the face of the Earth like he never existed, but she would never forget him. _

_It rained the day he died. But during his funeral it was bright and sunny. And warm. She kept forgetting that he wasn't there. That he wasn't going to pop up and smile at her like he used to. That he was never going to take her for ramen again. Never. Sakura took it hard. Everyone did. Ino tried to stay strong, tried not to cry, for Saukra, for him... He didn't like when she was sad. So she didn't cry... at the funeral. _

_But in the safeness of her room, where they spent so much time together, she sobbed. The tears just kept flowing, when she thought they were done another wave of grief hit her and she started all over agian. When she was sure she was dehydrated, she came out to take a shower. Her throat hurt, and her eyes were puffy. She got a cup of hot tea and put on her favorite pajamas, the ones with the swirls of pink on plain orange, not the nicest to look at, but the comfiest. She took __out a photo album and stared at it, eyes going blurry again. Pictures and memories blurred together, confusing her. In a way, she just wanted to forget, but she knew she never could, and never really wanted to._

_  
She remembered when they would sit in the starry fields, pointing out shapes to each other and laughing.-  
_"That one looks like a pi-" Naruto was cut off by an upset girl.

"Naruto, don't you dare finish that," she growled out, all humor gone.

"I mean, it looks like a fishcake. Doesn't it Ino?" He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Ino slowly smiled, looking up to where he was pointing.

"It does." The swirly stars were right next to a boar shaped constellation. She scooted closer, barely noticeable to anyone but her.

_The way he would always exaggerate his missions.-  
__­_"And I mean this was one big bug!" He made a motion with his hands, spreading his arms wide. "I had to save Sasuke and Sakura-chan!" He ignored Ino's skeptical look, trying to convince her. "And then, this humongous guy came out of the bushes and tried to hit me." Naruto showed her with wild hand movements that came close but never hit her. He would have continued but Ino was looking at him with this _look._

"Sure, that's how it happened," Ino said dryly.

"It is!" Naruto said defensivley. She stood up from the rock she was sitting on, arms crossed.

"I believe the saving Sakura part, she always was a cry baby. But _you _saving Sasuke-kun." She gripped her sides sarcastically, pretending to laugh. " Hahaha, yeah right." She walked off, making it seem like she was ignoring him.

"Ino, that how it happened! I swear," he whined, following after her.

"Maybe in your mind, that's how it happened."

_The way she could tell him anything.-  
_"Oh, Naruto," Ino sighed while they ate at Ichiraku. "The last few days have been horrible." Naruto glanced at her, noddles dangling from his mouth, shadows shading his eyes.

"Yeah, why?" He seemed curious. She idly sipped her tea, since she didn't eat ramen except when Naruto was feeling down and she was the one who offered to go to the ramen stand.

"Sasuke-kun didn't pay any attention to me-"

"Normal."

Ino ignored him, continuing. "-Sakura searched for me just to fight-"

"Normal."

"-Lee asked me on a date." She waited.

"Nor- Wait, what!?"

_The way he would have done anything for her.-  
_"Naruto! Will you get me some ice cream?" She was dressed in her most comfortable PJs. They were having a slumber party, though Naruto had to sleep on the floor. At least her father trusted him that much.

"Ino, it's the middle of winter." Naruto thought that was a good point.

"...So?" Apparently not.

"Ino..." He sighed. "It's the middle of the night."

"...And?" She wasn't going to let it drop.

"You don't have any ice cream." The blonde boy gazed evenly at her.

"How do you know!?" Came her indignant reply.

"...I already checked."

"Go get me some." She reluctantly added, "Please."

There was a pause where they stared at each other. Then a sigh. "...Fine." He grumpily, with many huffs, got up from his cozy floor camp-out and went to try to find some ice cream.

Ino waited until she knew Naruto was almost out the door before calling, "Make it double chocolate swirl!"

_The way he tried to defend her.-  
_"You're so pathetic." Ami sneered as Ino walked by. She ignored the girl, knowing clearly that she was talking to her. Naruto jumped at the chance.

"Hey! What did Ino ever do to you!?" He asked the purple haired girl, defensive for his friend. Ami blatantly ignored him, not even glancing at him when he spoke. She didn't look much different from their days together in the Academy. Other than she was never a ninja.

"Why do you hang out with _scum _like him?" Naruto looked hurt even though it was virtually a stranger that was insulting him.

"Because," Ino flashed a smile,"he's a better friend than you ever were."

She continued walking, a small smile on her lips. Naruto had a dazed look on his face as he followed her. And Ami looked on shocked as Ino and Naruto walked off, not wanting to admit that the words from her old friend stung.

It always ended up with Ino defending Naruto instead of the other way around, but he didn't seem to mind..._ too_ much.

"Ino, you know I hate when you do that! I can fight for myself!"

"Sure you can Naruto."

_The way he always took her side.-  
_"Ino-pig, you know that Sasuke-kun is mine!" Sakura stated it rather confidently.

Ino scoffed, turning to face her. "Forehead, only pretty people can go out with pretty people." Sasuke was a far away a he could get without them moving closer, lazing with his eyes closed.

The rosette smirked. "That's exactly why you can't go out with him." Really, was Team 7's bridge the bast place for this?

"Ah, but Sakura, Naruto thinks I'm prettier." Now, she turned to face him. "Don't you, Naruto?"

"Why does it matter what he thinks?!" Sakura looked at Ino like she was crazy.

"Oh, it does." This was stated matter-of-factly. "Well Naruto?"

Sakura glared at the poor boy. He blushed and looked down, refusing to meet either of their gazes.

"Um, well, um, Sakura-chan has nice, um, um..." he trailed off.

"Naruto?" Ino questioned him.

Green eyes sparkled victoriously. "Pig, there's no challenge, Naruto has liked me since forever."

"Really?" Sakura nodded in conformation, like Ino hadn't already knew that. "Well then, Naruto, do you like your reflection?"

He nodded, slowly understanding sparking in his eyes. "Yeah," he answered slowly, "Yeah, I do!"

"Told you Forehead."

"But we were talking about Sasuke-kun!"

_The way he could tell if she was sad.-  
_Ino laughed. Naruto frowned. They were in her room. They always ended up here, somehow.

"Stop it, Ino."

"What are you talking about?"

"Fake laughing." He scowled at her. She scowled right back.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't." He glared at her for her stubbornness. "I can tell by your eyes."

"Oh yeah?" She didn't believe him.

"Yeah." He moved toward her. He grinned foxily. "I can fix that."

She glanced at him suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

He sneaked behind her and poked her in the side. She jumped, and glared at his smiling face.

"Ticklish?" He poked the side of her neck. "Hah!"

"S-Shut up!" Ino repressed her laughter. He did it a few more times, in random spots.

"Stop! St-Stop it!" she gasped out, air refilling her lungs.

His hands were by his sides, with him sporting an innocent look. "I'm not even touching you."

_And the way, that no matter what, he was there.-  
_"Ah, sorry Ino." Naruto panted, having just returned. "I had a mission."

"Oh, that's okay Naruto." She shrugged it off.

Naruto's confusion was evident by his voice. "Really, I thought you would be mad."

"Do you want me to be?" Ino asked, teasing. Naruto put his hands up in defense.

"O-Of course not. It's just that... I had to miss your birthday."

"It was for a mission." She looked at him, pleading eyes turned on full blast. "But you did get me something, right? If you didn't, then I'll be mad."

"Well..." he started slowly, hand unconsciously rubbing the back of his head.

"Naruto!" The anger seeped into her voice like venom. "You did not _not_ get me a present!"

"N-No!" He dug around furiously for something in his pockets. "Ah! Here it is!" A pretty purple wrapped present tied with orange ribbon in a small box. A really small box.

"That's better!" She chirped, snatching it out of his hands.

"Want to get some ramen?"

Ino sighed and looked up from her present but nodded. "Sure."

"So, do you like it?"

"Hm? Oh, right!" She tore open the royal purple, scattering it on the ground outside her house, orange ribbon raining down to the ground. "It's- ...unique."

"I know! I found it on my mission and knew about you're birthday so..." He laughed, sheepish.

"Naruto." She hugged him. "Thank you." Naruto wrapped his arms around her to return it.

A ring, with the main stone a deep violet that looked almost black when the light didn't hit it right, set in silver. Two smaller stones, orange this time, sat on each side of it. Naruto had it custom made. He always was a better liar than Ino.

"Now, it will be like I'm always with you." Ino let go slowly and smiled with her eyes glassy. "Ah! Ino don't cry!" Naruto panicked, "I didn't mean to make you sad!"

She giggled a little. "Idiot, I'm not crying cause I'm sad."

"Oh..." He smiled devilishly. "Now, about that ramen..."

_She missed everything about him. His crazy attitude. His annoying tendencies. His voice. Even his smell, no matter how much it was reminiscent to ramen._ _He was more than her secret crush. He was her best friend, and now... he was gone. What was she ever going to do without him?_

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AN: And don't ask me what happened to Naruto. I have no idea. Just imagine he died. Oh no! Now I'm sad... Naruto! -sob-  
Review! Because it's cute. Yeah, shut up. It's 2:58. No, no! 2:59.

**Edit: 8/18/09 _There you go, now we all know what happened to Naruto. He was killed. By his other best friend, Sasuke. Man, that depresses me._**


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